Good evening friends.....

I'm not going to post my portfolio because I'm not applying for degrees that required one, so my current version will surely suck in comparison. However if you are interested in my writing samples pertaining to sustainability or the essay that I am currently writing regarding global warming, I would be happy to share......

The more I think about it, the more I think this essay business is some kind of an admittance tie-breaker between me and some other people. Originally I was just going to write the line "George Bush is the worst thing that America could have done to the Earth, THE END" and then send it back in, but since I now think it's a tie-breaker, I suppose I will try harder.

A new thread has been started for posting portfolios: link

I just got this from MIT, for anyone who's applied there.


Dear Applicant,
>>
>> Thank you for your application to the graduate program at the MIT
>> Department of Architecture. At this time we have all of your
>> application materials.
>>
>> Your application will be reviewed by the admissions committee.
>> Decisions will be made by early April, and we will mail you
>> official letters around Mid-April.
>>
>> Applicants who are offered admissions will receive information
>> pertaining to financial aid in their acceptance packets.
>>
>> If you have any questions, please contact me at any time.
>>
>> Best Wishes,
>> Darren

wow, so nobody else is still working on thier apps? I've still got one to go that's due Feb. 15th, so does this mean I have to commisserate by myself?

I am also not going to post a portfolio until I get some acceptances under my belt. Heck, I've still got one more portfolio to DO! They want at least five instances of 'drawing from life', which is something I rarely take the time to do well.

we're still here for you rationalist.

commiseration is a multi-headed hydra beastie taking on many different forms.

baboomba, I also received that email from MIT. They previously sent me an email that one of my recommendation letters was missing, so hopefully this means they've found it.

Okay, today I finally paid off the last of my outstanding tuition bill to Drexel in order to get my transcripts... I'll be eating ramen noodles for the next two weeks, but it sure feels nice to have gotten rid of this $4000 albatross that's been hanging around my neck for the past five years.

I was afraid that might happen to me too, over $170. I ordered my transcripts not thinking about it, and then when SCAD told me they hadn't recieved the transcript I got scared and paid the bill just in case that was the reason...

Thanks for the support, broccolli. I really wish I were done with this stuff... although waiting for answers it pretty painful, too.

ummm, this is not so reassuring. I just recieved an email from RIT which (among other things) said:

"Thank you for selecting Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for your graduate study. We have received your application for admission to RIT's Master of Science program in Graphic Design for our Fall - September, 2007 quarter. We look forward to working with you as you complete our graduate application process."

excuse me? I thought I was applying for an MFA program? That's what the website said. That's what the printed catelog said. It makes a pretty big difference, too, since I want to teach. MFA = terminal degree. MS = non-terminal degree. Pratt's program is an MS, but I'm only applying to it because the Pratt name is well-known enough to overcome that. The RIT name.... not so much. If it turns out that they've switched programs without updating their materials, I'm going to have to ask for my money back. This would suck, because I like their curriculum, but an MS from RIT wouldn't get me very far in the teaching world.

They're both master's degrees in studio design. Since there is no Ph.D in studio design (just HTC I guess) why wouldn't an MS also be terminal? Does it have to do with accreditation?

An MS is a more technical degree, whereas the MFA is as far as you can go in research in the arts, so it's the one considered terminal by colleges. Pratt's is the only non-terminal I know of that still shows up regularly on lists of faculty members.

oh lordy! Now I've got an email that says:

"Thank you for selecting Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for your graduate study. We have received your application for admission to RIT's Master of Fine Arts program in Graphic Design for our Fall-September, 2007 quarter. We look forward to working with you as you complete our graduate application process.

We have reviewed your application and note that we have received the following application materials:

Application for Admission in the Industrial Design Program for Fall 2007-08"

I'm not applying for INDUSTRIAL DESIGN!!!!!!!!!!

This is very off-putting.

rationalist, do you remember the email that I got about my one application? Yeah, give it a day, and then call them. I think what we are forgetting here is that all of these applications are received by humans, and therefore subject to human error. Of which there is quite a bit in the world of universities, apparently.

i just finished my last application! i noticed that my personal statement has been getting progressively better. for my first deadline, i wrote my ps 2 hours before it was due and i swear it wasn't even in english. it's a shame that the schools with later deadlines were not my top choices :(

Froccli - I feel the same way. My last personal statement was way better then my first. oh well.

In regards to revised personal statements, if you live close to the school, why not go to the arch dept. and try swapping out the old one with the new one. Fortunately, I was able to do this at one school, 6 weeks after initial deadline, after discovering a few typos, subject-verb diagreements, etc.

Well I went to my online checklist and it says Graphic Design, so I'm not going to worry any more about it until I get the rest of my application in and get another email. Then we'll see whether there's still a problem. This level of organization does not impress me, however, and has significantly brought down my impression of the school. Before I was going, "this curriculum kicks ASS! Why don't more people apply here?", and now I'm starting to see why.

Quick question, I've applied to Grad school for Fall 2007...submitted my application for a Jan. 15 deadline, Could anyone give me an idea, how long (roughly) it takes to get a decision made?

Most decisions are made and sent out in Mid-March to late April, depending on the school.

I have one thing to say:


ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

I second that, but with a few !!!!!!

I've found a strong correllation between how easy it is to apply to a school and how easy it is for visitors to park there ;p

Anyone know exactly when the open houses for admitted students are at the Ivies and the Cals? I need to plan my Spring on the hopes that I get in. I need to ask off from work nowish.

well, by zundfolge's logic, I'm going to have some problems. See, the easiest-to-apply-to schools happen to be the ones in big cities with no space, and the pain-in-my-ass schools are the ones that should have plenty of room for cars.

Actually, this has been a concern of mine. I'm thinking of selling my car for grad school, depending on where I end up. If I go to Pratt, it seems like the car would be more trouble than it's worth. That's also a strong possibility with CCA- I HATE driving in San Francisco, and parking costs a fortune there. Anybody else thinking of ditching their wheels for grad school?

i'll ditch my wheels, unless i end up at UCLA

actually, the only city i think you could legitimately ditch your wheels in is New York. Maybe Boston or SanFran. Phila, New Haven, Princeton, Houston, Chicago, no way.

Plenty of people are fine in New Haven, Chicago, and Princeton w/o cars.

oh and -
I loathe driving (grew up on it, but abandoned it asap). Even more, I loathe maintenance. Oil change, license tab, insurance, no thanks. I just don't want to deal with that. I might consider bringing my car down if I went to UCLA, but anywhere else, it will be Bicycle! And, for emergencies, taxis, zipcar (or similar service) or rental. Even in places where they are expensive, I can't imagine I'd spend more per year on taxis, zipcars and rental than I would on car insurance anyway.

well my list comprises New York (ditch the car), upstate New York/Rochester (need the car), San Fran (ditch), Seattle (keep), Baltimore (keep), and Savannah (keep). So it looks like I have about a 16-33% chance of being car-free next year. I think for San Fran I'd try it for a month or so and then figure out whether to sell it. Part of me thinks it would be really liberating, and another part finds it scary.

If I end up at Cornell, I'll need to keep my car for sure. If I go to Columbia or GSD, I'll sell the car and use the money to get an apartment.

If I go to Penn, I'll probably keep the car, especially since I don't see myself living in the University City area, and public transit in Philly is a joke. Chances are I'd either move back to my old 'hood in East Falls, or possibly out to Media and take the R3 train to school.

I've never been to New Haven (except for 20 minutes on the train platform many years ago), so I really have no idea how badly I'd need my car there. I'm sure I could survive without it, but I wonder if I'd really want to.

It's very possible to live in Chicago without a car, but there are times when it comes in very useful. Especially if you're like me and need to take a long drive outside the city once every week or two just to stay sane.

Anybody recieve ANY kind of response from Yale or SCI-ARC that they recieved your applications?

All the other schools have informed me by email that my application has been recieved and is complete / under review, so I'm wondering if I should write an email to bug them about it.

I'm debating what to do with the car right now too. I set myself up pretty good....I have a lease that's ending at the end of this year, so I have to turn it in no matter what. Trouble is, I have a 75% chance of needing a car, so I will have to save up some for a replacement. I'm definitely going with another small car, but this one will be used. Also I'd like to get a diesel and look into converting it to biodiesel....but that's another thread entirely.

So get this: the Bartlett sends me the email last week asking me to write this essay, right? Well today I get a letter from them saying that they have received my materials, and I should have a decision by February 16. This is before the deadline for this essay that I am supposed to write! So now what do I do?!?

The good news is if I end up there....I get to ditch the car!

wow! I would love to know about a school that early. I had planned to have early knowledge of my status with SCAD since they have rolling admissions, but with one thing after another (including crappy community college transcripts) my app still hasn't gone into review yet and I won't know until mid-March now.

Well, I was pretty worried about my application to UW, because of the mailing address issue I mentioned above at some point. They wanted ALL my materials sent to the department, not to the admissions office, but didn't make that clear until after I had submitted my application online, so I sent some things to the wrong place. Sure enough, my undergrad transcript didn't get there, and they can't access it (I'm not going to press the issue, but I think this is stupid), so I had to re-order. This means my transcript total has gone up by another $28, because I had it ordered express delivery. Fortunately, though, they said they would consider my app submitted since my most recent (Otis) transcripts had gotten there along with everything else, and to just send it ASAP. I'd been pretty scared they wouldn't even review me when I realized the address mixup, so while this is a pain, it's one of the better outcomes that could have resulted.

Okay, 45 minutes left before the deadline for Yale's stupid financial aid application, and my parents still haven't completed the parental portion yet. My dad says they're having to fill out more information for that than they did when they applied for their last mortgage. That, on top of the obcene $15 fee they ask for (in addition to the whopping $85 I've already given them), and I'm tempted to say fuck it and scratch Yale off my list. They aren't my #1 or #2 or even my #3 choice anyway. Yale really does blow.

just fill SOMETHING in, call it an 'estimate', and then correct it once you're in, if you decide to go there.

another question for you guys- do you generally get your financial aid package at the same time with an acceptance, or does it come later? While I did the financial aid thing for undergrad, I only did it for the last three years, so I never had this experience of deciding on schools based on money (though maybe I should have) and I'm curious.

If you get all the financial aid submitted by each schools deadline then you should recieve a financial package with your acceptance.

when they give you a financial package do they also award fellowships/assistantships at the same time? or does this happen later?

I'm pretty sure that's at the same time, because for most schools your fellowship/assistanceship will be the vast majority of your financial aid package.

yeah i would think that any kind of financial aid offered to you at all will be offered with an acceptance letter. fellowships, assistantahips, loans, scholarships, whatever.

I don't see how they could award a fellowship/assistantship without knowing the student first. I've always been given the impression that those decisions came down to the professor wanting to work with a certain student, or the student applying to work with a specific professor? Do people get fellowships & assistantships first semester first year, or just general scholarships & grants (or even more general work study jobs such as library assitant, lab tech, etc.)?

I just realized how bad my portfolio sucks....
I need to prepare job applications i guess..
good bye people of the great '2007 M.Arch applicants, commiserate here! ' thread! wish you all the best luck!

Do any of you know approximately when accepted student open houses take place? Do they usually make it before or after you have to send in a decision (April 1-15, or after that?)

I may have guests from Europe in April or May and obviously I don't want them to come and then I need to leave town to visit schools! Well, assuming I get in anywhere at all, which is unknown. But I'd rather plan for that happening than not.

I would assume they would make the open houses for before decisions were made, although maybe they don't want to deal with anyone who hasn't decided that they are coming or not? I really don't know.

How do we find out about these open houses anyway? Do they send a letter telling you that you are admitted (hopefully!) and then tell you about the open house? I am imagining they don't give you more than a couple weeks notice too. Fortunately I have visited all but one school that I want to go to, but getting to Austin on 2 weeks notice would be tricky.

And I am really curious about this whole fellowship thing. I have been looking for money this afternoon on the internet and there are some really random scholarships floating around out there.

All of this, of course, is wishful thinking until I get an offer. Gah! Here comes the anxiety again.

sirgemhl, don't leave. Maybe it will be OK for you.....

Well I looked at the academic/event calendars for the schools I applied to. GSD open house for accepted students is April 6, Yale is April 12.

I couldn't find info on open houses for the other 3 schools. The one I'm concerned about is UCLA because it's the only one I'd need to buy short-notice airfare, and short-notice harass some poor Archinector to permit me to sleep on their floor while I visit. CoughAnyVolunteers?cough. Of course if I do not get in, then it is a non-issue.

I know what you mean about the random scholarships. I went on fastweb. To register you need to take a survey that is nearly as extensive as the Yale financial aid application! There are all kinds of tick boxes that you can check for things that apply to you. Apparently, in addition to all of the academic-discipline-based, faith-based, diversity-based, overcoming-hardships-based, and merit-based scholarships that one would normally expect, you can also obtain financial aid for:

Duck Calling
Numismatics (coin collecting)
Non-smoker
Aerobics
Facial Paralysis
Immune Deficiency Diseases
Golf Turf Expertise
Against the Death Penalty
Clinically Overweight
Height: Women 5'10" and above, Men 6'2" and above
Last Name: Van Valkenburg
Mobile Home Park Resident
Twin/Triplet/etc.
Vegetarian
Parent is Amateur (Ham) Radio Operator
Parent is American Waterski Education Foundation Donor

I think they usually are about a week (I think they were around April 3?) before decisions are due.

namby, I saw that too..... the one about the "Van Valkenburgs" was my personal favorite.

My question on those scholarships is, there are so many random ones attached to particular schools, and then I try to look into them, and there's no application or anything. So I guess we are automatically considered if we are admitted? Ugh.

almost all of the scholarships say you need to be a current student to apply, so does that mean that you have to wait until you are accepted into a program officially before you can even apply?

I've been wondering the same thing... they say it's ok if you're in undergrad, but that you must be enrolled. Seems like they're punishing those of us who work in between.

Most schools consider you automatically, but a few of mine have a box on the application form that says "Do you want to be considered for fellowships/assistanceships?" and another that says "Do you want to be considered for university and departmental scholarships?", and one school I'm applying to had a separate scholarship application, while two had a separate fellowship/assistanceship application.

One of my schools lets you be an assistant in any discipline within their school of design, so I'm applying for assistanceships in Interior Design as well as graphic. I figure it can't hurt to try. And no, I have no idea why interior design was paired with graphic and industrial design and not with architecture, but it seems like it could work out well for me!

I haven't been following this thread closely this year (I sure did last year, though!), but for those of you who applied to UCLA, a number of faculty members were in the building today reviewing portfolios. I know every little bit of information is soothing, so hang in there!